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What size is your mountain bike frame?

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What size is your (most representative) mountain bike frame?

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BackWoodsHick

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
For multiple bikes, what is the best fitting or most representative?

I recognize sizing can be weird (eg: Canyon), but I am just curious about a general trend I think I am seeing, but I don't want to poison this with expectation bias.

So please humor me, and pick the most appropriate or accurate option.
 
#2 ·
It’s a bit hard to say just the size, without rider height. Otherwise it’s mostly just a poll on our physical size.

Im assuming you’re trying to draw some sort of conclusion about how people are riding a size that is “incorrect” for them (either too large because people like to say they are taller, or too small because bikes have gotten too large, not sure which)?

But if we’re all super tall, or super short, it might make things hard to interpret.

For what it’s worth, I’m on a size large, and I’m 6’1” barefoot. But I may go XL in the future (most brands I’m smack dab in the middle of sizes).
 
#4 ·
I am 5'10 and on a large for both of my bikes. A Niner WFO 9 RDO and an Intense Primer. The Niner is a bit to big for me but I ride it like its a truck and like it big. I got on a medium on a few bikes to try and they just feel strange and smaller to me. I think my ride style just fits going up maybe.
 
#5 ·
mine is the right size for me.

statistically, a "medium" should fit the most number of people because medium is the largest part of the bell curve of human heights in a population. if you get anything other than that, you have an odd sample of bike sizes are "wrong."
 
#7 ·
There's only 31 votes cast but so far the bell curve is almost exactly what you would expect. However, agree that it's a mostly meaningless poll.

My three most commonly ridden bikes are all mediums, one fits me perfect, one is slightly bigger and one is slightly smaller than what I would ideally prefer.
 
#12 ·
BackWoodsHick said:
For multiple bikes, what is the best fitting or most representative?

I recognize sizing can be weird (eg: Canyon), but I am just curious about a general trend I think I am seeing, but I don't want to poison this with expectation bias.

So please humor me, and pick the most appropriate or accurate option.
Click to expand...
I ride a size large Delano Peak. 6' tall and the bike is a good fit. There are a lot of considerations such as reach and top tube. The Delano has a steep seat tube so the top tube is short, yet the reach is fairly long. If top tube was longer I might have gone for a medium, but I like the steep seat tube, and this is the best climbing bike I have owned. The longish reach makes it a competent descender. I agree with the other comments on bike size being just a statistic without much value without including rider height, but also bike geo.
 
#13 ·
I've always been between M and L, and have preferred smaller bikes for decades, but just in the past couple of years, I've switched to L frames. Don't know if it has something to do with modern geometry, or if it's something else.


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#14 ·
I've always been right on that border line between the industry's typical medium and large and since there is no standard for sizing in the bike world, I've gone medium in some brands and large in others. When shopping for a new bike, I'll check the geometry specs, but then follow it up with a test ride if at all possible.

On the new mountain bike geometry, I've also found I prefer going L these days instead of M. Just find that going L has worked better for me than it has in the old days.
 
#17 ·
There isn't a whole lot of consistency between various bike brands on sizing. My Megatrail is a "medium" but is the same size as most brand's larges. Both my Ragley hardtail and my Orbea are larges and fit similarly to the Megatrail.
 
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#18 ·
North woods gal said:
I've always been right on that border line between the industry's typical medium and large and since there is no standard for sizing in the bike world, I've gone medium in some brands and large in others. When shopping for a new bike, I'll check the geometry specs, but then follow it up with a test ride if at all possible.

On the new mountain bike geometry, I've also found I prefer going L these days instead of M. Just find that going L has worked better for me than it has in the old days.
Click to expand...
Some companies like Trek and Bird offer medium/large bikes which seems to make a lot of sense for those people between sizes.
 
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